‘State aim to transform 10 lakh women in State into Lakhpati Didis’

 

 

 

Deputy Chief Minister and Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Vijay Sharma on Thursday said that the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of Chhattisgarh, aims to transform 10 lakh women in the state into "Lakhpati Didis" through economic activities. Speaking to media at the Samvad Auditorium in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, Sharma highlighted the department's achievements over the past two years and outlined future plans. The department has introduced several innovations to empower rural residents via economic engagement. Chhattisgarh now has 2,82,583 self-help groups (SHGs), with 4,94,425 women elevated to "Lakhpati Didi" status in the last two years. Two "Bakri Palak Mahila Kisan Utpadan Companies" and one state-level "Pashudhan Vipnan Sangh" will be established, benefiting 40,000 goat-rearing women SHGs.

 

To train SHG women as entrepreneurs, the department is partnering with IIM Raipur to set up an incubation centre. The department targets declaring the remaining 1,190 villages as "ODF Plus Model" villages. It also plans to build one lakh personal toilets, plus facilities near 2,000 schools and anganwadi centres, and 1,000 tourist spots, religious sites, haat bazaars, bus stands, and other community areas. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), 8.40 lakh houses have been constructed in two years. In Bastar's "Niyad Nellnar Scheme", 9,010 houses have been sanctioned, with 2,204 completed. Some 6,195 Atal Digital Suvidha Kendras in gram panchayats have facilitated 919 crore in transactions. Notable figures include 85 crore in Balrampur, 84 crore in Surajpur, 67 crore in Kondagaon, 65 crore in Surguja, and 47 crore in Kanker.

 

To boost panchayat incomes, the SAMARTH Panchayat Portal enables online tax and fee collection. So far, 24,970 taxpayers are registered, generating 1.45 crore in revenue for FY 2025-26. Sharma noted that during a review, Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj praised Dhamtari's Sankra Gram Panchayat for pioneering online tax demand and payment. Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh were selected for a pilot, but Chhattisgarh launched first. Bharadwaj remarked: "After this initiative, Mumbaikars will now learn from Raipurians." Over 83,000 properties have been digitized via the Gram SAMPADA app. Sharma also spotlighted progress under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak evam Vikas Yojana, Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihood Mission, and Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin. Principal Secretary Niharika Singh Barik, Secretary Bhim Singh, and IAS officers Taran Prakash Sinha and Ashwani Dewangan were present.